


Not Right

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-08
Updated: 2017-07-08
Packaged: 2018-11-29 11:43:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11440152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: The druids begin to suspect that there's something not quite right about Dunya. Dunya belongs to star-stable-is-awesome on tumblr and Alessa belongs to sso-duskhill on tumblr.





	Not Right

Alessa always felt a little awkward taking Dunya to Valedale, or anywhere near the druids. But Dunya had wanted to ride through Hollow Woods today, so Alessa had decided to go along with it. Both to please her girlfriend, and because it was a nice day out for a ride.

“This is a cute little village,” said Dunya as they rode into Valedale past the stable.

“It really is,” said Alessa. “It’s peaceful, even if the people who live here are a little strange.”

“Strange and misguided,” said Dunya. “Ooh, a café, huh? We should have lunch there.”

“I think it’s all vegan food there,” said Alessa. “The druids strike me as the type to be that. And there’s no meat on the menu.”

“As long as the food is tasty, I don’t care,” said Dunya.

“Alright then, we’ll rest our horses in the stable here while we eat,” said Alessa. She dismounted and led her Jorvik Wild Horse (who was still in his natural colours, though they faded back to black as he moved away from Dunya) into a stall with fresh hay and water.

“Oh, Alessa, I’ve been meaning to call or text you,” said Claire as Alessa walked past her on her way out.

“Yeah, what is it?” asked Alessa, stopping. She could see that Dunya was already sitting at a table while Copperclash ate some of the rosebushes. She sighed. Her girlfriend still hadn’t grasped the concept of putting her horse away.

“Elizabeth wanted to speak with you,” said Claire. “I think it was something about that girlfriend of yours.”

“Oh?” said Alessa, immediately frightened for her girlfriend and master. If Elizabeth was beginning to suspect something… “I’ll talk to her after I get something to eat.”

“You do that,” said Claire. “And, er, try to get that horse to stop eating the roses.”

“Will do,” said Alessa. She tried to calm down while she put Copperclash in a stall, but she was still a little worried.

“Finally, you took your time,” said Dunya when Alessa walked over to the table and took a seat opposite her.

“Elizabeth wants to ask me questions about you,” said Alessa, unable to keep it in any longer.

“Oh dear,” said Dunya. “That can’t happen. Make her not ask questions.”

“I can’t,” said Alessa. “She’ll be even more suspicious if I start avoiding her.”

“Hmm. Well, you’re smart, I’m sure you’ll think of something,” said Dunya. She picked up her menu. “None of this food looks good.”

“Just order something,” said Alessa, picking up her menu as well. “I feel like we shouldn’t speak to Elizabeth on an empty stomach.”

“Yes, and it will give us time to plan,” said Dunya. “Ooh, is this poison donut actually poisonous?”

“I’m pretty sure it’s just called that,” said Alessa.

“Drat,” said Dunya. “Well, I shall order it anyway.”

“And I’ll get a vegetarian sandwich and tea with milk,” said Alessa. She looked up at the robed druid waiter who had been there since Dunya had decided on her order.

“Will that be all?” he asked.

“Hmm, and then a chocolate milkshake for us to share,” said Dunya, grinning at her girlfriend. Alessa blushed, though she was glad that Dunya had thought of her.

“Very well. Your food and drinks will arrive shortly,” said the druid, and then he was gone.

“Ooh, that was quick,” said Dunya when the green-frosted donut appeared on a plate in front of her seconds later. Alessa’s sandwich and tea also arrived in record time.

“Yeah, they serve it with magic here,” said Alessa, picking up her sandwich and taking a bite. “The food tastes the same, it just gets here faster.” She’d read about people losing their appetite when faced with fear, but Alessa found that she was starving. Perhaps she was comfort-eating.

“Oh, this donut just tastes normal,” said Dunya after taking an experimental bite of her food. “That’s disappointing.”

“I know, they could’ve at least made it taste like apple,” said Alessa.

“Have you thought of a way to answer Elizabeth’s questions yet?” asked Dunya.

“No,” said Alessa. “I’m busy eating.” But she saw, with slight alarm, that Dunya hadn’t taken more than a bite of her food. “You’re not… nervous, are you?”

“I am not powerful enough to reveal myself yet,” said Dunya, sounding uncharacteristically subdued.

“Don’t worry, I’ll think of something,” said Alessa, reaching a hand across the table to squeeze Dunya’s hand.

“Please do,” said Dunya.

“Eat your donut,” said Alessa. She finished her sandwich, then started on her tea. At least it hadn’t gotten too cold despite the chillier air up near the Valley of the Hidden Dinosaur.

“Would they believe that another Soul Rider had appeared?” asked Dunya, grimacing as the words left her lips.

“Probably not,” said Alessa. “Two in a year would be highly unlikely. But…”

“Yes?” said Dunya, leaning across the table excitedly. Alessa smiled at how eager her girlfriend was, and how much Dunya trusted her to always know the right thing to say or do.

“There are other druid circles,” said Alessa. “There are the main four, but there are also the other elements like water, air, earth, and fire.”

“Fire,” said Dunya immediately, sparking a flame in her hand. “I can do that so I can be fire!”

“Yes, we’ll say that you have fire powers,” said Alessa. “You haven’t managed to develop any others, have you?”

“Other than healing? No,” said Dunya. “You say that there are other circles, what if she decides to put me in the Fire Circle?”

“Then you might have to attend training sessions,” said Alessa. Dunya looked alarmed. “But don’t worry, if they’re anything like mine, they won’t take very long and then you’ll have the rest of the day to do what you wish.”

“And then they’ll be able to keep an eye on me,” said Dunya. “I don’t know about this, Alessa.”

“It’ll be fine,” said Alessa. “You trust me, don’t you?”

“Yes,” said Dunya. “I do trust you.”

“It’ll be fine,” said Alessa. She finished her tea, and then the milkshake appeared as Dunya ate the rest of her donut.

“How did he know what it was for?” asked Dunya, seeing the two straws in the drink and the placement of it between the two.

“Probably the way we were acting,” said Alessa. She leaned in to take a sip, but Dunya kissed her instead.

“Thank you,” said Dunya. “You always know the right thing to say.”

“Well, you’ve cheered me up so many times,” said Alessa. “Even before we started dating.”

“I remember that,” said Dunya with a smile. She took a sip of the milkshake through the straw, and Alessa did the same. They drank it together, elbows on the table and gazing into each others eyes.

After they’d finished their milkshake, though, Alessa felt the anxiety return as she turned to look at Elizabeth’s cottage. Dunya walked up beside her and took her hand.

“It’s okay,” said Dunya. “It’ll be fine, remember?”

“Yeah,” said Alessa, nodding and taking a deep breath. “It’ll be absolutely fine.”

The two of them walked up to Elizabeth’s cottage together, still holding hands. Alessa didn’t know if her palms were sweating or if it was Dunya, but her girlfriend certainly looked pale when Elizabeth answered the knock at the door.

“Oh, Alessa,” said Elizabeth. “What brings you here?”

“Claire said that you had questions,” said Alessa. “And I’ll answer them as best I can, even if you guys refuse to answer any of my questions with a straight answer.” Dunya snorted, and Alessa smiled at seeing her girlfriend giggle in amusement.

“Well, yes, I do have questions,” said Elizabeth. “What is… well, to put it quite bluntly, what is up with your girlfriend?”

“Straight to the point? How unusual for a druid,” said Dunya.

“What do you know about us druids?” asked Elizabeth.

“Only what my dear girlfriend has told me,” said Dunya, which wasn’t a lie. “You beat around the bush with your answers, and you are really quite odd.”

“If you’ll pardon my saying so, you are odd too, Miss Salter,” said Elizabeth. “I have received concerning reports that you have been lighting fires around Jorvik. And this isn’t your everyday arson, either.”

“I have fire magic,” said Dunya. “I was sheltered for most of my life, and when I finally emerged into the world, I discovered that my magic may have been why I was so sheltered. I cannot control it, you see. I was locked away for years.”

“Ah, I see. Well, you are more than welcome to join the Fire Circle,” said Elizabeth. “We have many young initiates there who have had a similar experience to you. They’ll be able to help you to control your power.”

“Yes, I would like that,” said Dunya.

“Good, then I’ll contact the druid in control of the Fire Circle and I’ll get back to you once I’ve done that,” said Elizabeth.

“Excellent, I look forward to it,” said Dunya with a grin.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Alessa laughed at her girlfriend.

“What?” asked Dunya.

“Seriously? Locked away because you couldn’t control your power? That’s the plot of Frozen,” said Alessa.

“It worked, didn’t it?” said Dunya. “And now, I will become more skilled with my magic and perhaps more powerful too.” She steepled her fingers, grinning in delight. Alessa smiled at her as she fetched their horses from the stable.


End file.
